It’s Pink Shirt Day at Easts!

After the success of the initial Pink Shirt Day in 2013 at Easts FC, it’s back again this Saturday night as the Tigers take on Capalaba at Heath Park, East Brisbane with kickoff of the main match at 5pm.

This fixture also marks the contest between the clubs for the annual Salvation Saturday Shield, inaugurated after the 2011 Brisbane floods. Easts was completely ravaged by the floods and on ‘Salvation Saturday’ in 2011, many of the Capalaba members helped to get Easts get back on their feet again by assisting with the clean-up. The Shield has become the symbol of the bond formed between the two teams after that event.

This year, the fixture has added appeal with previous Easts assistant coach, Peter Davidson, moving in 2014 to take up the head coaching role at the Bulldogs. First team squad member and one of the main drivers behind the event, Justin McMullen telling us “It’s a good relationship between the clubs, especially now with Peter Davidson coaching the first team out there. All the boys at Easts love Pete and we love to catch up with him and see him do well but hopefully not too well next week.”

Capalaba have played their part in assisting with the organisation of the event, promoting the event amongst their members to help ensure a big crowd is present on the day.

Getting back to the charity part of the event, after proceeds went to the breast cancer cause last year, monies raised this year will go to the Leukaemia Foundation. It’s a cause close to the Easts community with Junior President, Anna Giuffrida’s husband recently diagnosed with the disease. The club hopes that this will raise money for the Foundation as well as create a broader awareness of Leukaemia.

On the match itself, last time they met Easts were convincing 6-2 winners but Capalaba have proven over recent weeks to be the most improved team in the league. This version of the fixture will be a battle between fourth and fifth places on the table and a Capalaba win would see them fire right back into finals contention, Justin wary of the improvement in their opponents since the last meeting.

“They have definitely improved since that game over at Capalaba. Even in that game, they weren’t a bad team, I think that was one of those days where we really hit the switch and got into our groove but since then, they’ve had wins against the likes of Logan and they’ve done well against Power. Pete’s (Davidson) starting to put more effect into the team as the season goes on. They’ve signed more players, Matt McNab who used to play for us and then Albany Creek, John Thompson from Bayside so they’ve got some good players in key areas that are going to stabilise them and see them through to the end of the season.”

Other events on the day include entertainment from Brisbane band Corn Liquor, a jumping castle and face painting for the kids, raffles throughout the day and after the match, the Easts pink jerseys will be auctioned off. So get along to Heath Park for what should be an enjoyable afternoon and evening and help out a good cause.